Robot Chef 'Chippy' Debuts At Chipotle In Orange County

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Newport Beach-based fast food chain Chipotle is welcoming its newest hire: a robotic kitchen assistant named "Chippy" programmed to cook the restaurant's tortilla chips.

According to a Chipotle news release, Chippy was tested during a pilot run at the company's digital test kitchen in Irvine early this year.

After a successful run, Chipotle announced that Chippy would be making his debut at the restaurant location in Fountain Valley, along with a new AI-powered kitchen management system.

“Chippy is trained to replicate Chipotle’s exact recipe – using corn masa flour, water and sunflower oil – to cook chips to perfection, season with a dusting of salt, and finish with a hint of fresh lime juice,” said Chipotle. “It was imperative that the technique remained the same so customers receive delicious, craveable chips every time.”

A representative for Chipotle said Chippy's help will allow workers better focus on other duties.